Chapter 31
Chapter 31
Translator: Penny
Episode 31
Honyeon Faction Manor
Following the Faction Leader's orders to prepare for an attack, the Four Protectors had deployed their martial artists and were now awaiting news from the battlefield.
"They're retreating!"
"Hahahaha! Just as I expected."
"The Faction Leader was greatly pleased to see them flee so quickly."
The Four Protectors burst into laughter upon receiving the battlefield report from the messenger.
"Those fools thought they could launch an attack?"
"A Great Victory!"
"Wasn't this outcome already foreseen? The Faction Leader didn't even need to personally intervene..."
"Indeed."
"With this, the Yanghyeon Branch is as good as fallen into our hands. We can't just sit here and wait. Go fetch the women."
"The women?"
"Yes. We must prepare a feast to celebrate our Great Victory, mustn't we?"
"Of course. Should we prepare wine as well?"
"Naturally! Hurry now. Everyone must be parched from all the dust they've inhaled."
"Yes, sir!"
Wine and food.
All free, of course.
After all, wasn't this their territory now?
The villagers should at least offer this much.
Having ordered the feast preparations, the Four Protectors summoned a nearby warrior.
"Go and bring that Sayo girl here."
"Why her?"
"I saw the Faction Leader's eyes lingering on her. He must have taken a liking to her. If we're to present her to him tonight, we should prepare her in advance. She's a beggar girl, so she'll need a thorough washing."
"Ah! I see. As always, your wisdom shines through."
"Brilliant? Hahaha! Isn't this just the heart of a younger brother thinking of his Elder Brother?"
Just as he was basking in his subordinate's praise—
Just as he had lowered his guard, distracted by preparations, convinced of victory—
"Seat Protector! Seat Protector Sir!"
"Hmm?"
The Seat Protector—the title used within the hall to refer to the Four Gale Protectors. Below the Faction Leader, there were four positions, and the youngest among them was the Four Protectors.
"That guy, always making such a fuss... Well, what is it? Has the Faction Leader already returned? Well, the battle was so easy, it's understandable that he'd lose interest. Hmm, what should we do? We haven't prepared anything yet..."
"No, that's not it..."
"Hmm?"
"The situation on the battlefield is a little strange."
"What do you mean, 'strange'?"
"Well, the fleeing enemies suddenly launched a counterattack. Even the Faction Leader seemed surprised."
"What? What are you talking about? Those cowards who were running for their lives suddenly counterattacked?"
"We're too far away to see the details, but the Faction Leader suddenly flew into a rage... He's observing the situation for now, but his restless movements suggest he's about to join the battle."
"What is this? What's going on?"
The Four Protectors couldn't suppress his bewilderment.
How could the reports from the two messengers be so drastically different?
Had it really been that long since he'd heard news of a Great Victory?
"What trickery are those Zhuge bastards up to?"
"What should we do?"
"Hmm..."
With the Faction Leader absent, the Four Protectors now held the immense authority to decide the room's actions and bear the consequences of their decisions.
The Faction Leader would never forgive failure.
Should they send support with only a minimal force remaining?
But there was still no word from the Faction Leader...
"Has the Faction Leader said nothing?"
"Well... he seemed too furious to ask."
"You fool! How can we make a decision without knowing his intent? Go and ask him immediately!"
"M-me?"
"Who else would go? Should I, the one who must maintain the core of this room, go myself?"
"That's not what I meant..."
"Go at once!"
"Yes, sir!"
The messenger, startled by the stern command, scrambled out through the main gate.
"That fool..."
"Seat Protector Sir, what should we do about the women and the wine?"
"You imbecile! Is that even a question? We'll decide based on the situation! Stop everything immediately!"
"Ah, understood."
He'd only earned a scolding for asking a pointless question.
But just then—
KWAANG!
The wooden bolt securing the main gate shattered, and the gate swung wide open.
The messenger, who had just left to inquire about the Faction Leader's intentions, was flung back inside.
"What's this now?"
The Four Protectors stared in disbelief at the unconscious messenger sprawled on the ground, then turned their gazes toward the open gate.
There were five of them.
Incredibly young... Zhuge?
"Hey, is this supposed to be a surprise attack?"
"Yeah."
"No, you said you'd attack from the rear! That means you should have climbed the wall or snuck in, not just smash down the main gate!"
"This is a surprise attack for me. And it is the rear, isn't it? I went to all the trouble of sneaking back here."
"What?"
The leader of the group standing outside the gate.
Still terrifying, but so absurd that Zhuge Munho couldn't help but shout.
Zhuge Munhyeon, however, remained utterly composed.
"What exactly do you think a surprise attack is?"
"What else? It's attacking when and where the enemy least expects it, right?"
"W-well, that's true, but..."
"See? Who would expect us to come through the main gate?"
"..."
"They probably never even considered it. This is a successful surprise attack."
There was no reply.
In a way, he had a point...
But what was the point of making such a flamboyant entrance?
Zhuge Munho sighed repeatedly as he noticed the weapons now aimed at them.
But for Zhuge Munhyeon, this was clearly a surprise attack.
He'd done enough.
At least they hadn't breached the enemy's main defenses.
That bastard's completely insane. Damn it... Why did I even come along?
"Enough. Trying to understand that guy will only give us a headache. Let's just accept it. Maybe this is fate..."
Gwan Hwipyeong murmured among themselves, venting their frustrations in hushed whispers.
I can hear you all, you know... These brats... Once this is over, I'll have to give them a proper thrashing. I was going to bestow upon them the grace of rigorous training, and this is how they repay me?
The Four Protectors, watching them, could only remain silent.
The situation was momentarily causing them cognitive dissonance.
"Hey... guys?"
"What?"
"...Nothing."
After making the effort to ask kindly, the response he received was remarkably blunt.
What?
Still dumbfounded, the Four Protectors asked again.
"So, a surprise attack is..."
"You're curious about the meaning too?"
"Huh?"
"Damn it, at this rate, we'll spend all our time explaining what a surprise attack is."
"Heh heh... This is quite something. How am I supposed to make sense of this? Just who are you people?"
"Who do you think? Can't you tell just by looking? We look like stray dogs that haven't eaten in days, so starved our eyes are rotting."
"What?"
"The Zhuge Clan. Call us a special forces unit? A surprise attack squad? Something like that."
"Ah..."
The Four Protectors was so taken aback by their audacity that he missed his chance to respond. The brothers facepalmed at their younger brother's arrogant demeanor.
What a magnificent surprise attack. They smash through the main gate and then readily reveal their identities...
Thanks to this, the Four Protectors snapped out of their daze, their bodies radiating a terrifying killing intent. The eyes of the martial artists aiming their weapons sharpened with menace.
"A surprise attack from the Zhuge Clan... with only five of you?"
"That's right."
"Heh, ha... Well, I'll be damned."
This was a feeling he had never experienced before.
What should he call this?
He could tolerate some greenhorn barging in and speaking so casually, but what right did they have to cause such a ruckus here?
"Did you guys take some kind of drug?"
"We're perfectly healthy."
"What?"
"We don't need any tonics. As you can see, we're at the age where we could chew and swallow rocks."
"..."
Are these guys insane?
The question implied, "Are you out of your mind?" But suddenly, talk of health and restorative tonics?
Who's worried about your well-being?
The rapidly changing battlefield situation had already made his head spin.
"Haa, you're truly the Strongest Under Heaven when it comes to smooth talk. Boys, clean this up."
"Yes, sir!"
The Four Protectors' subordinates were equally dumbfounded.
At the command, the warriors shook their heads and approached.
"Damn it, what now?"
Surrounded—or rather, having deliberately cornered himself—Zhuge Munhyeon drew his sword and shouted, "What do you think? We came for a surprise attack, so we'll achieve our objective!"
"What?"
"Listen up! Your only target is that bastard who looks like the commander over there!"
"Wait, these subordinates look over fifty..."
"Don't worry about them. I'll handle it."
"..."
"Focus on that bastard. After you kill him, rescue the Branch Head and Sayo immediately. Understand?"
"What about you?"
"The counterattack should have started by now, but they won't last long. Jang Hongsik won't let this stand. Once he intervenes, the situation will change again, and the casualties will increase."
"Hmm..."
"After dealing with the stragglers, I'll head there immediately. So you guys need to hold this place. Understand?"
I understand. No one in the Zhuge Clan has such poor comprehension skills. But first, we need to deal with this situation. How on earth is he planning to take on all those martial artists alone...?
"You guys, don't die. If you do, you'll die by my hand."
Zhuge Munhyeon grinned, drew his sword, and spoke, leaving them utterly bewildered.
How many times are you planning to die and come back?
"Munho, remember just one thing: never be ashamed. This is war."
"Huh?"
His words hung in the air, unanswered, as Zhuge Munhyeon lowered his stance.
"Alright, let's begin!"
"...?"
The next moment—
Crunch!
His foot sank deep into the earthen ground, and his sword slashed horizontally in a graceful arc.
Whoosh!
A fierce gust of sword wind.
And the energy radiating from the blade's tip gradually expanded, trailing behind its trajectory like a comet's tail.
Minor Heavenly Star Sword, Falling Meteor Tail.
A falling meteor always leaves a tail in its wake.
And the meteor's tail...
"Kuaaaak!"
Whipped out like a lash, it cleaved through several martial artists in a single strike.
Even the enemy, the Zhuge Family's sons who had launched the ambush, could only stare in stunned silence.
What was that just now? Just a flash of light, yet several martial artists fell.
Before their questions could fade, Zhuge Munhyeon had already closed in on the Honyeon Faction's warriors.
A single meteor streaks across the night sky, leaving a Single Meteor Line. As the dying star fragments scatter across the heavens, they become Scattered Star Flowers.
Truly magnificent names.
Wherever the shattered starlight landed, blood splatters and screams erupt without fail.
"Kuhahaha, this is the taste I crave! Die!"
Zhuge Munhyeon charged forward with a grotesque expression, his maniacal laughter echoing through the battlefield. The scene he created was pure carnage.
In an instant, nearly ten martial artists had fallen victim to his slaughter. Zhuge Munhyeon continued to carve through the ranks, unleashing waves of Sword Qi with each strike.
"W-what is this?"
The Four Protectors' eyes, previously brimming with contempt, shifted in an instant.
A martial artist wielding Sword Qi? And with such mastery?
"Kuhahahaha!"
Moreover, the fiendish grin on that man's face, as if possessed by a demon... he was from the Zhuge Clan?
"Damn it! What are you waiting for?! Form a formation! Now!"
Realizing the gravity of the situation, one of the Four Protectors shouted urgently.
They should have done that sooner. But they'd already been ambushed. Everyone was disoriented and unable to mount a proper defense. What use was forming a formation now?
Amidst the chaos...
"Four Protectors!"
"...!"
While everyone's attention was focused on Zhuge Munhyeon, Zhuge Munho seized the opportunity to close the distance and swung his sword fiercely at the Four Protectors.
Clang!
The first clash.
Startled by the sudden attack, the Four Protectors barely managed to parry before they could retaliate.
"We're here too!"
"We're here!"
"Die!"
Gwan Hwipyeong unleashed a coordinated three-man attack, forcing the Four Protectors into a defensive position.
Individually, they were weak.
Even three days of training would only slightly improve their movements.
They were compensating for their lack of skill with sheer numbers.
With Zhuge Munho leading the charge, wielding Sword Qi, and Gwan Hwipyeong filling any gaps in the attack, what chance did the Four Protectors stand?
"...They'll manage, right?"
No sooner had Zhuge Munho spoken than Zhuge Gwan was kicked in the leg by the Four Protectors and sent flying backward.
Ah, seriously...
📝 Translator’s Note:
You may notice that certain lines or phrases in this novel appear both in their original Korean (or Hanja) form and in English translation.
This is intentional — these phrases are classical idioms, divine titles, or poetic expressions that carry layered meanings.
To preserve their original tone and authenticity, the raw text has been kept for reference, while the English interpretation is provided right before or after it. This helps convey both the literal and cultural nuance of the original work.
but if you guys dont want tha raw for future chapters or my future other novels u can just text me on discord and say so discord name Mr.Penny